In short
How do I get a suspended X account back?
Log in first: if X asks you to confirm your phone number or email address, follow the steps and the account may be unsuspended. If that doesn't work and you think X made a mistake, stay logged in to the suspended account, open a new browser tab and file an appeal through X's Help Center.
Locked, limited or suspended?
- Locked: X noticed suspicious activity and asks you to prove you're the owner by phone, email or reCAPTCHA, or to change your password.
- Limited: some features are restricted for a while, for example only your followers can see your posts. Selecting Continue to X starts the countdown until the features return.
- Suspended: the profile shows Account suspended. X says most suspensions are for spam or fake accounts, accounts that may be hacked, and abusive behaviour.
Unlock a locked account
- 1Log in, find the message that your account has been locked and select Start.
- 2Verify by phone (enter your number to get a code by text or call), by email (select Send email and enter the code), or by reCAPTCHA if X only needs to confirm you aren't a robot. X notes that a phone number you enter is linked to the account.
- 3Enter the code and select Submit or Verify. If the email doesn't arrive, check your spam, junk and social folders.
Appeal a suspension
If you can't unsuspend the account yourself and believe X made a mistake, log in to the suspended account, open a new browser tab and file an appeal from X's Help Center. X says real people's accounts are sometimes suspended by mistake, and that in those cases it works with the person to unsuspend the account.
If you want to deactivate a suspended account instead, X says you first need to file an appeal.
If your X account was hacked
- 1Reset the password: on the login page choose Forgot password, and pick a strong password you haven't used before.
- 2Make sure only you can access the email address on the account. If verify@x.com emails you about an email change you didn't make, use the link in that email to reverse it.
- 3In settings, open Apps and revoke any third-party app you don't recognize. Changing the password alone doesn't log out the X apps for iOS or Android.
- 4Still locked out? Submit X's support request for hacked accounts from the email address on the account, with your username and the date you last had access.
If you lost the phone or email
X says that if you've lost access to the email or phone number on the account, you should contact its support team, and that sometimes the only option is to create a new account. Be wary of anyone who offers to get around this for a fee.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an X appeal take?
X doesn't publish a fixed time. Keep an eye on the email address linked to the account, because that is where X sends its instructions.
Why can I post from a browser but not the app?
That can happen when an account is limited: X says a limited account may only have some features, such as posting from a desktop browser but not from an app.
Can I get my data from a suspended account?
Yes. X says suspended accounts can request access to their information through its privacy form.
Official sources
The platforms' own help and policy pages. We are not affiliated with them.
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